Avient Unveils PTFE-Free and Non-Halogen Flame Retardants for Polycarbonate at Fakuma 2023

October 9, 2023

New PTFE-free and non-halogen Cesa™ Flame Retardant Additives can help producers of polycarbonate E&E applications prepare for possible future PFAS restrictions  

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FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany – October 9, 2023 – Avient Corporation, a leading provider of specialized and sustainable material solutions and services, today announced it is introducing a line of PTFE-free and non-halogen flame-retardant additives specifically engineered for polycarbonate and useful for electrical & electronic (E&E) products. This much-anticipated launch will debut at the upcoming International Trade Fair for Plastics Processing, Fakuma 2023.

Polycarbonate’s intrinsic properties make it a polymer of choice for applications requiring clarity, impact strength, and dimensional stability. The resin inherently offers heat resistance, but for some demanding applications, it also needs the addition of flame retardants to increase its resistance to flammability. Traditionally, these flame retardants have often contained polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which is part of per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS), a group of chemicals widely used to resist heat, oil, stain, and water. However, PFAS can persist in water and soil because many break down very slowly over time, raising environmental concerns. As a result, many countries have already restricted PFAS, and there is growing pressure to ban all PFAS. This is causing producers of E&E products to search for non-PFAS materials.  

Avient’s new Cesa™ Flame Retardant Additives for polycarbonate are formulated without PTFE, which is typically used as an anti-drip agent in conventional flame-retardant polycarbonate. They are also halogen-free in accordance with the IEC 61249-2-21 standard. Suitable for a variety of polycarbonate grades, including recycled content, these flame-retardant additives can help achieve GWFI temperatures up to 960°C according to IEC 60695-2-12 testing protocols. Avient provides these flame-retardant additives in the form of concentrates, allowing producers to combine them with color and other additives to meet performance requirements. This is particularly advantageous for producers seeking more flexibility in managing plastic material inventory, giving them the ability to stockpile large quantities of virgin or recycled resin while ordering flame-retardant concentrates as needed for individual projects.  

Avient’s new flame-retardant additives are part of its comprehensive portfolio of color and additives solutions it is featuring at Fakuma 2023. Attendees are encouraged to visit Avient’s booth 5316 in Hall B5 from October 17 – 21 in Friedrichshafen, Germany to learn more. 
 

About Avient  

Avient Corporation provides specialized and sustainable material solutions that transform customer challenges into opportunities, bringing new products to life for a better world. Examples include:  

• Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber™, enables unmatched levels of performance and protection for end-use applications, including marine and sustainable infrastructure and outdoor sports  
• Unique technologies that improve the recyclability of products and enable recycled content to be incorporated, thus advancing a more circular economy  
• Light-weighting solutions that replace heavier traditional materials like metal, glass and wood, which can improve fuel efficiency in all modes of transportation and reduce carbon footprint  
• Sustainable infrastructure solutions that increase energy efficiency, renewable energy, natural resource conservation and fiber optic / 5G network accessibility    

Avient is certified ACC Responsible Care®, a founding member of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste and certified Great Place to Work®. For more information, visit https://www.avient.com. 

To access Avient’s news library online, please visit www.avient.com/news.    

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Media contact
Nicole DeChant
Avient Corporation
nicole.dechant@avient.com